BJP, Shiv Sena had consensus before polls on CM's post: Raut

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed re was a "consensus" between BJP and his party before Maharashtra Assembly elections on sharing chief minister's post. Amid stalemate continuing over government formation in state, Raut told reporters here that fresh proposal has been received from BJP or sent to it.

're was a consensus on post before elections'

He claimed farmers and working class want a Shiv Sena chief minister and have hopes and expectations from Uddhav Thackeray-led party. To a question on when re would be a consensus on chief minister's post, Rajya Sabha member said, "re was a consensus on post before elections."

Ruling out any new proposal for government formation, Raut reiterated that Shiv Sena expects implementation of what was decided and agreed upon before elections. "Why waste time on new proposals. We want a discussion on what was agreed upon earlier. new proposal has been received or sent," he said.

On possibility of imposition of President's rule in state, Raut said, "We will t be responsible for it. Those conspiring to do this are insulting people's mandate." He said wherever Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, who won state polls from Worli seat in Mumbai, were touring to review crop losses due to unseasonal rains, farmers and working-class were looking at party with hopes and expectations. "All are er to have a Chief minister from Shiv Sena," he said.

Raut refused to respond to a question on wher NCP has agreed to share chief minister's post. "We will talk about it," he said. Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Tuesday said a political alternative can be worked out in state if Shiv Sena declared that it had snapped ties with BJP. Sources in NCP said ir party wants Arvind Sawant, lone Shiv Sena minister in Union government, to resign before going ahead furr with Sena. re has been headway in government formation after  results of state polls were declared on October 24.

BJP, which won 105 seats, and Shiv Sena, which bagged 56 seats, are locked in a bitter tussle over sharing of chief minister's post and ministerial portfolios in new government, even 13 days after Assembly poll verdict handed m eugh seats to cobble up a coalition government. y won 161 seats toger in 288-member House, much above halfway mark of 145. Besides, opposition NCP won 54 seats while Congress got 44 seats.